Tag Archives: web 2.0

I’ve posted over at the Whatever Company blog about the social collation and annotation of learning resources. I talk about how I’ve been using web 2.0 tools to prepare for teaching and packaging course content for learners. I even did a bit of wizardry in Keynote in an attempt to visualise what on earth I’m on about. I also compare our own Knowledge Plaza (because that’s what I have been mainly using for the task this year) with Diigo and Delicious. Click here or below for the full post. I’d love your comments.

On the 30th September Dion Hinchliffe’s Web 2.0 University team will deliver the very first Web 2.0 Executive Bootcamp in the UK. Book your place now as space is very limited.

The Web 2.0 University is a direct product of extensive research by Hinchcliffe and Company and O’Reilly Media into the business models and design patterns being used by the most innovative companies on the web. The material and delivery is specifically tailored for a management audience with the focus on emerging business models, opportunities and analysis of real life business examples.

With a maximum of 40 attendees, delegates will benefit from a highly interactive and tailored delivery of the very latest research, case studies and opportunities presented by Web 2.0.

This is a chance for any executive, manager, innovator or decision maker to learn how to transform their products and services using Web 2.0 design patterns. The material presented really is the most thoroughly researched and actionable available in the UK.

Designed by well-known Web 2.0 expert Dion Hinchcliffe, the Web 2.0 Executive Bootcamp is a strategic, one day event for a management, executive, and senior technical audience to gain a thorough briefing on the rapidly evolving world of Web 2.0 and why it matters to any business. Designed for Fortune 500 companies and start-ups alike, Web 2.0 Executive Bootcamp provides a thorough, formal grounding for creating highly competitive, next generation businesses.

Used by companies around the world to galvanize their online product development efforts, Web 2.0 University is the premier, strategic education event designed to take companies and their capabilities into the 21st century.

Lead by highly-rated, expert instructors, Web 2.0 Executive Bootcamp brings the very latest techniques that presents numerous proven approaches to building innovative and fast-growth online businesses based on peer production, rich user experiences, software ecosystems, strategic data capture and ownership, mashups, open APIs, social software, and much, much more.

If you’re building and delivering next-generation online products and services, this intensive, day-long course will provide you with a thorough grounding in the revolutionary world of Web 2.0—a set of design patterns and business models that are reshaping the face of the Web.

Join the over 4,600 graduates of Web 2.0 University today in the inaugural debut of Web 2.0 University in the United Kingdom by Applied Trends and Scott Gavin. Web 2.0 University is available in North America (http://web20university.com), United Kingdom via Applied Trends, Italy and Germany via Reply and Australia and New Zealand via Acid Labs.

The following is a recent article I submitted to a marketing publication. Guess I may as well blog it!

Embracing Web 2.0 and social networks is becoming a key component to the success of many firms, especially those in the marketing industry.

Participation in social networks, blogging and online collaboration is no longer limited to the under 25’s, nor should it be limited to an outside of work activity. Firms need to embrace the desire and ability of their staff to use Web 2.0 tools and services and know how to facilitate and extract real business benefit from the activity.

From a marketing perspective, it’s about being where your market is, being part of your market and having visibility of conversations relating to your brand or products.

Yet where social networks such as Facebook are concerned, many employers block access and warn their staff against using such sites. An alternative would be to create a culture where using these Web 2.0 tools is permitted and encouraged in line with a Social Media strategy. Such a strategy would identify the benefits of using sites such as Facebook, Twitter and FriendFeed, and put in place a framework for responding to the opportunities presented. An example would be to implement an internal blog for employees to discuss the trends, contacts, conversations and opportunities they are seeing when participating in such sites. Managers can then act on any opportunities or threats.

The way brands interact with consumers is also changing. On sites such as Facebook and Twitter, we are seeing brands interact with consumers in a bid to improve loyalty and drive brand equity.

For a company looking to engage marketing professionals this kind of familiarisation of Web 2.0 is fast becoming part of the selection criteria. Marketing firms should be able to demonstrate their staff are keyed in to the most popular sites and services on the web and have a process for leveraging this involvement.

Any business wishing to learn more about Web 2.0 and the opportunities it presents can attend the Web 2.0 University on the 30th September in central London.

It’s something I’ve seen a few times now.If you’re the or one of the first people in your organisation to start an internal blog, you can leverage much more influence than if you’re late to the party.

I’ve seen people get the ear of the board, senior Vice Presidents, influence company policy, gain exciting projects and become promoted to official ‘2.0’ ambassador both within and outside of IT lines.How and why?They have been quick to leverage one of the most powerful communication channels emerging inside the firewall.They’ve also realised that getting in early, before it gets ‘noisy’ is key to success.

First a word of caution.If you really are the very first person to set-up an internal blog you are going to be subject to scrutiny, risk being shut down and might be disappointed if your efforts go nowhere.This is especially true in large bureaucratic organisations.

Now the good news.Being the very first (or one of just a few) puts you in an influential position.People will sit up and take notice.Here are some reasons you’ll attract attention:

Senior management will want to know who you are and what you are saying.Are you a threat or an innovative individual who’s willing to share his thoughts in a public forum?

The first blog is like a when a new kid starts school.People want to know who you are, what you are like and what you have to say.Whether they take to you after this is another matter and is up to you.

It can feel like a new era has dawned on your company.This is especially true if the blog originates outside of a technical IT line.Such a simple thing as a blog can make people feel like the company is moving with the times both culturally and technically.

You are doing something new that others wish they had the courage to do, so they’ll take notice and champion your efforts.

You’ll be seen as a risk talker and innovator.In many companies this is a good thing.

So now you have this attention, what are you going to do with it?Well, I’d steer clear from being too hard-line about anything or controversial to begin with.Remember that by becoming the first blogger you have the unofficial job of setting a precedent, theme and image of blogging in general.If you start off ranting and raving about why the company is in a bad way, then you’ll just give blogs a bad name and represent yourself in a negative light.

Here are some way’s to get started:

Speak on behalf of a interest group or project.This gives you a hook, subject matter and identity.

Brand You.Brand yourself, give the blog and by association yourself an identifiable image.I mean logos, tag lines and aesthetics as well as your writing style.

Be consistent.Get a post out on a regular basis.

If supported, allow people to subscribe to your blog.

Promote the blog in your email signature.

I’d suggest you start off by posting material with broad appeal.Whether it’s something like reporting on developments in a certain area/interest, or discussing an important project, this is your hook to gain readership.

So now you you’re up and running and have an audience how do you up your game and get some of that influence?

Challenge the status quo.If there’s some stupid stuff going on or out of date practices in your company why not question them?Don’t come across as negative; instead offer to be part of the solution.Solicit ideas for how improvements might be made.

Establish an unofficial interest group via the blog.This should be on something important to the company goals, industry or playing on trends on the outside, such as online collaboration.

Be true to yourself.If you’re just playing the game and doing this just for a promotion then people will see through it and you’ll lose respect.

Been seen to facilitate discussions and keep comments and content appropriate.By this I mean keep the language clean and be grown up with what you are saying and allowing others to say.If someone starts an inappropriate rant on your blog, then politely bring them back in line or filter the content.This will establish you and blogging in general as a mature communication medium.

I’m not saying any old Joe can achieve great things just by blogging.However if you really are great, and have great ideas and interesting things to say, then step up and get noticed.

These are just some of my ideas and observations over the last few years.Many factors are at play when it comes to elevating yourself to an influential position.Being first to set up a blog could be one way to gain advantage.